Car retarding apparatus



23, 1932. w s ET AL 1,846,831

CAR RETARDING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 50, 1930 Patented Pet. 23, 1932 I "(rue 231 woIlFGAne BAs LERQor MUNICH, AND AucUs'riviEYEn} or nERLIN-scHoNE EcRie,

r GERMANY i i V out nnrnnnmenrrnnnrus i Application filed August so, 1930. Serial nofvaoz;

Thisinvention relates to car retarding apparatus of the kind adapted to be located adjacent to thetrack rails of a track over which the Vehicle to be retarded'travels and comprising brake bars or their equivalent adapted to be autor'nati'cally brought into engagementiwith the wheels" or other portions of the vehicle by electro-magnetlc action, so as retardation .ofthe vehicle is thus not only effected by frictional. action but also due to the eddy currents generated by the movement of the wheelsor other portions ojt't'he vehicle relative to the magnetlc flux traversing the brake bars, w p In order that this eddy current-eiiectmay be utilized'economically to the greatest possible extent; it isevidently desirable that the path of the magnetic flux traversing the magnetic circuit including the jbrake ba r's should have as low'a magnetic reluctance as possible so as to enable a maximum of magnetic flux to be generated for a given energi'zing w ndmg and a given consumption of energizing current; V

.25 [It is also desirablethat the magnetic .cir-

cuit above mentioned Ishould remaini' con tinuous and efficient regardless of lateral displacement of the vehicle relative to the track. rail during running and regardless of variations in the transverse width of the v'ehicle'wheels or other portions of the vehicle engaged by the brake bars.

These and other desirable objects are at tained by the improved construction'of the invention which enables the brake 'bar to follow accurately and continuously any irregularities or displacements in the wheel or other part of the vehicle engaged by the brake'bars without risk of jamming or im- 4Q pairing the magnetic conductivity of'the circuit including thebrake bars as willbe hereinafter described. r

The invention is illustrated byway of example in the accompanying drawings of .1 which Figure 1 is a viewin transverse sectional elevation of car retarding apparatus embodying one form of the invention. F igure 2 is a similar view on anenlarged scale of the upper portion of one side of the car retarding apparatus shown in Figure 1.

andlower edges ofthe plate 14 are however material of any suitable character.

core members?) be Figure Sis a view inside'elevation inustrat.

ing a'modified construction, Figure 4 being a view similartoa portion of Figure 1 illustrating a still further modification.

Referring now first to the construction shown in Figures 1 and 2 the car. retarding apparatusis shown as comprising horizon-- tal laminated core members l on the opposedinner edges of which are mounted. brake ba'rsZ located on each side of a track rail 26 0 along which one of the wheels ofthe vehicles to beretard'ed travels: "The core members 1 are magnetically connected to a horizontal yoke 4 (located underneaththe cross-tie on which the track rail 26 is supported) by means of vertical core members 3 each'of which ass-best shown'in F igure 2 consists of a plurality of relatively thinmetalplates stacked together side by side with one another. The upper and lower edges of the plates 3 are preferably bevelled or rounded as indicated at 13 in Figure 2 and the outermost plate 14 isfof' gi'eaterthickness than the other plates of the stack. -The upper reduced in thickness and bevelled orrounded as shown in Figure 2 so asto conform to,

the edges of theremaining plates. The energizing coil of the apparatus is in dicated at 25 as surrounding the horizontal yoke 4, this coil being preferably enclosed as shown in Figure 1 in a sheet metalcasing the seams of which are welded so asto'prevent the entrance or moisture, or dust. This casing is preferably filled with insulating The coretmembers 1 aremechanicallyf'connected to the core members 3 by'hinges,'the' ing similarly mechanically connectedto theyoke' l. One form "of'hinge connection which may be employed is shown on the left-hand side of .Figure jl and comprises a hinge of which the-upper hingeplate 5 is secured to the outer vertical edge'of the core member 1. Thelowerhinge plate "7 lies againstthe outer face of the outermost core 7 plate ofthe c'ore member 3 ever attached thereto. The lower hinge plate, 610i another-hinge is secured to the outer vertical end or face of '100 but. is not howa i the yoke 4 the upper hinge plate 8 lying 7 against the outermost core plate of the core ofa stack of relatively thin plates, the lower eclgesjo'l which rest on the memberjtt and the upper edges of whichsupport themember 1. The stack of plates'forming the member 3 is confined at its upper enctbetweenthe hinge 5 -7. and a projection 17 on the lower serrateat member The stack of plates forming member '3. is" confined at its lower n'd between the hinge 'o-s tnd tt shoulder 18 forming one end of ashallow recess in the upper surfaceof the yoke member e.

f; There is, therefore, no'p'rovision for sliding lnoveinentoflthe member l r'elative to the member 3, orlo'f the member 3relative to the member: 4."-The movement of themember A 1' towards and away from the track rail 26 is efiectd by the tiltingaction of the'platesof which'the member's is" composed. Each in dividii'al plate is in contact at its upper end with'the member 1 and at its lower endwith the member 4. The points o'fcontactof the ends of theseplates constitute the pivots or rocking ,points' ermitting the movement of et'tchplate about its lower end as a center. As a resultof this arrangement; it will be seen that the brake bar 2 andmeniber 1 can be nioved toward and away from the tr'a'ck rail andthatd'uringsuch movement the stack ofipla tfe's forming member 3 constitutes a composite" hinged. element .cpnnect'in the memttfs,,1tnd 4. The linovern'ent of the ember 1 toward and awayfrom the track fail does not'take place along a truly hor izontal lineibut, on the contrary, its path is actually a'eircular ateh atinga radius dependent uponth'e'v'ert'i'cal height of the plates of which. the member 3 is composed.

It will be ap arent thatithe resilient connec-v tions between the hinge members 7 and 8 do not many way oppose the swinging movementofthemember 8, since the distance between ,the'pivotal points of the hinges is not altered by "the tilting ofthe' stack of plates (it which member sis composed.

- Inoperation 't willrbe apparent that when theenergizingcoil '25 of theapparatus is supplied with1current, magnetic flux is caj'iis'e'd to} traverse the yoke 4, core members 3,

. c'eiejlnelnbersi 1,-ibrake bars 2 and the'wheel (all o f-a vehicle passing along the track rail 26 between thebralreQbars 2'. The brake bars 2 ar'ejthus' caused toenga'ge frictiona'lly with the vehicle wheel and the rotation of the -wheel is retarded'due to the frictional en:

ga'gein ent above mentioned and to the eddy currents generated in the wheel.

It will be appreciated that the horizontal movement of the brake bars 2 towards one another to engage with the sides of the wheel under the magnetic action is permitted by the special construction of the core 1nembers3 above described and. owing to the provision of the hinges 5, 7 and 6, 8 and to the" resilient connection between these vI nate cons ituted: by. hesp 'i g me be the horizontal inward movement of the brakebars 2 can occur without any risk of Jamming of the stacked plates of the core members 3, this movement being also facili- 'tate'd by the rounded or beveled edges of these core plates. During the inward a'nd outward movements of the br'alie bars '2ithe cert members, tat tntty. seat tiremtt vtsevenly and uniformly upon he uppe t tags of the core plates 3 due to theresilientf'con? ne ation between-the hinges 5*, 7 and 6; 81m" similarly the lower-edges; of the core plates s'tre tat all positions at metres-ba ts; evenly and uniforml seated on the yoke f4. Analter'native arrangement for resiliently connecting the hinge'plates 7' nd 8 is inns": tjrate'd at the right hand side of Figure 1 and grigu'rit 2,; In this construction thelower: en'd ofthe tingepi ttt afnd'the upper, and ot the hinge plate? 8 are? each bent ste rightanglefs midi ate-resilientlytonnected t gether by a bolt l'Ofan-d a with, spring-ti 12' being interposed a between the end of the hinge plate a and the head of the bolt to atate tyetn the are tithe hinge plate? thenut I1 asishowv Figures-1 and 2. I ]In another form of construction shown in Figure 35 two hinges each composed hinge" plates 5} 7 respectively arejprovided; the hingeplates '5 being secured to the tr te? tttter the core memb r Theyok ifis pre"ided g, with a single hinge compfisin h ngfe'pl'ates 'e', 8 of which the hinge 6 is'sec ured'totlre tutt end 'o'r tact tit e yoke: 4; Leaf springs 15 are interposed be; tweenthebent over ends of the hinge plates 7,' 8, the ends of these leaf springs ngtfitig'. with the hinge plates"? ancl'the middle?) the Liar-springs 15iengagihg" with the hinge atty. j i r a In the still further form of 'eonstrticti'on shown in Figure ej' the core member 1 and the yoke e are resilientlyconnected tag-ether by a hingedevice comprising uppef hinge plate 5 secured to the outer race of the core member. 1; a lower hi ge plate 6 siectred tt theouter face or the oke tandem int rl ne diate curved resilient member 16' cennect'ed to the lower edge of the hingeplate 5 and to the upper edge Qf the hinge plate ety artied-f l'at'ed'hing'e joints: g v In all th constructions illustrated described it will be seen that the core bers' 3' ar resiliently cramped between the core members 1 and the yokeet andthe core members 1 emyiirg-wi h theinitlie tit-kt iio bars 2 are thus rendered capable of inward and outward movement towards and away from the track rail 26 without impairing the magnetic circuit of the apparatus.

Althoughonly certain forms of apparatus embodying the invention have been described and illustrated'by wayof example, it will be understood that various modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims without exceeding the ambit of the invention. 7

Having now described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure byLetters Patent is 1. In car retarding apparatus the combina- 7 tion or" a stationary yoke, a relatively movable core member carrying a brake bar, means for magnetically connecting said yoke and said core member and resilient means including a hinge for mechanically connecting said yoke to said core member.

2. In car retarding apparatus the combination of a stationary yoke, a relatively movable core member carrying a brake bar, means interposed between said yoke. and said core member for transmitting magnetic flux and means including a hinge for resiliently connecting said yoke to said core member.

3. In car retarding apparatus, the combination of a stationary yoke, a relatively-movable core member carrying a brake bar, means for transmitting magnetic flux interposed between said core member and said yoke and a resilient hinged connection between said core member and said yoke.

4C. In car retarding apparatus the combination of a stationary yoke, a substantially horizontal core member, a substantially horizontal brake bar carried by said member, a stack of substantially vertical plates composed of magnetic material interposed between said core member and said yoke and resilient means including a hinge for maintaining said stack of plates in magnetic contact with said horizontal core member and with said yoke.

yoke and resilient means for maintaining said engagement ofall of said plates.

7 In car retarding apparatus the combination of a track rail over which a wheel of a vehicle to be retarded travels, a brake bar on each side of said wheel, a substantially horizontal core member secured to each of said brake bars, a substantially horizontal stationary yoke extending transversely below said track rail on each side thereof, a stack of substantially'vertical thin plates of magnetizable'material interposed between each of said core members and said yoke, an upper hinge having an upper hinge plate secured to one of said cores, a lower hinge having a lower hinge plate secured to said yoke, a lower hinge plate for said upper hinge, an upper hinge plate for said lower hinge and means for resiliently connecting the lower and upper hinge plates of said upper and lower hinges respectively.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands.

WOLFGANG BASELER. AUGUST MEYER.

5. In car retarding apparatus the combination of a stationary yoke, an upper core member carrying a brake bar, a plurality of relatively thin metal plates having upper and lower rounded edges and engaging at said edges with said core member and with said yoke respectively and resilient means for maintaining said engagement. I

6. In car retarding apparatus the combination of a stationary yoke, an upper core member carrying a brake bar, a'plurality of relatively thin metal plates having upper and lower rounded edges engaging at said edges with said core member and with said yoke resp-ectively, an outer relatively thick metal plate having upper and lower rounded edges] of the same form as that of the edges of said thin plates, said outer member also engagmg with said core member and with said 

